This invention relates generally to the comminution and dehydration of animal wastes and waste animal parts utilizing a cyclonic comminuter and, more particularly, to the process of treating animal waste products, including manure, as a pre-treatment conditioner for further appropriate treatment of the output material.
An environmentally acceptable treatment of animal waste, including animal manure and waste animal parts, has become an important issue. Feed lots, whether used for the production of hogs, cattle, chickens or the like, create a concentrated collection of manure at one geographic area. The disposal of dead animals and waste animal parts from slaughter operations presents a similar environmental problem. One solution is the processing of animal waste material for sale as animal feed or as compost. Such processes are known, but have not yet been proven to be commercially feasible.
Accordingly, a process, method and apparatus for pre-treating animal waste products to create an output that is acceptable for further processing treatment in a cost effective way would be highly desirable. Such a process must also be effective in the removal of pathogens from the waste product being treated.
It is an object of this invention to provide a method of processing animal waste to effect a comminution and a dehydration thereof by feeding said animal waste into a cyclonic comminuter.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method of processing animal waste including the steps of feeding the animal waste into the air flow of a cyclonic dehumidifying comminuter to comminute said animal waste and to effect dehydration thereof, the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste being discharged through a material discharge opening at a bottom portion of the cyclonic comminuter while moisture laden air flow is discharged through an air discharge opening;
sterilizing the discharged air flow after being exhausted from said comminuter to remove pathogens therefrom before being released to the atmosphere; and
passing the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste through a sterilization chamber after being discharged from the cyclonic comminuter to destroy pathogens therein.
It is a feature of this invention that the flow rate of the animal waste through the cyclonic comminuter can be controlled to establish a desired moisture content of the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste being discharged from the cyclonic comminuter.
It is an advantage of this invention that the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste being discharged from the cyclonic comminuter can be further processed by pelletizing for shipment thereof to a remote location.
It is another feature of this invention that an auger can be used for metering the flow of animal waste into the infeed of the cyclonic comminuter.
It is another advantage of this invention that the auger used for metering the flow of animal waste into the infeed of the cyclonic comminuter will mix different supplies of animal wastes containing different moisture levels for feeding into the cyclonic comminuter.
It is still another feature of this invention that the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste and the moisture laden air flow discharged from the cyclonic comminuter are sterilized to remove pathogens therefrom.
It is yet another feature of this invention that the animal waste can be manure or animal parts.
It is still another object of this invention to provide an air flow control mechanism to control the discharge of air from the cyclonic comminuter.
It is yet another feature of this invention that the air flow control mechanism has an adjustable damper control that restricts the size of the discharge opening for the air flow from the cyclonic comminuter.
It is yet another advantage of this invention that the adjustable damper control is easily adaptable to automated control mechanisms.
These and other objects, features, and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a process for the comminution and dehydration of animal waste and/or parts by feeding the animal waste and/or parts into a cyclonic, dehydrating comminuter to facilitate the further processing of the comminuted and dehydrated animal waste discharged from the comminuter. Both the material and the air flow discharged from the cyclonic comminuter are sterilized to remove pathogens therefrom. The rate at which the animal waste and/or parts material is fed into the cyclonic comminuter is directly related to the moisture content of the comminuted and dehydrated material discharged from the material discharge opening of the comminuter. Preferably, the moisture content of the discharged material is in the range of 25% to 35% to facilitate the pelletizing of the discharged material after being sterilized. Other precesses, however, can require the drying of the discharged material to about 10%. An air flow control mechanism is provided for the cyclonic comminuter to enhance the ability to control the discharge of air from the comminuter. The control is provided with adjustable vanes actuated from a actuator projecting outwardly from the comminuter to permit an easy adaptation to automated controls. to restrict the size of the air discharge opening from the comminuter.